Switching birth control methods: A how-to guide

Initial conversations when changing methods

Finding the right birth control method is not always easy. There are many things to consider, like how effective the method is, potential side effects, how it fits into your routine, or if there are any health-related concerns to take into account. For example, some people are not recommended to use birth control that contains estrogen. 

It's always worth having a discussion with a healthcare professional before making decisions about your reproductive health. This should be an open conversation where you can list your preferences and choose from a list of suitable options. 

We recommend doing some research beforehand so you can go into this discussion with specific questions for your doctor. Below we’ve outlined some points you may want to consider. Many of you may also find it helpful to have a conversation with your partner before making this change, but in the end, the final decision is always yours.

Why might you switch birth control methods?

There are lots of different reasons that might prompt you to switch. No one method works for everyone, so it can sometimes take a little trial and error to find the one that’s right for you. These are some factors that might have you looking at changing methods: 

• Side effects: Potential side effects of hormonal birth control include acne, low sex drive, breast tenderness, mood changes, and headaches. 
• Your birth control doesn’t fit your routine: Some contraceptive methods, like the birth control pill, require a strict routine where you take the method at the same time every day. Missing pills mean they will be less effective, so if you find yourself forgetting to take them or if it doesn’t fit your routine, you may want to consider switching methods.
• Changed bleeding patterns: Hormonal birth control typically stops your period, although you may experience regular withdrawal bleeding (for example, during the placebo week if you’re on the pill). It’s also quite common to have irregular bleeding, spotting, or no bleeds at all, depending on which method you’re using. Even non-hormonal methods can affect bleeding patterns; the copper IUD can lead to heavier periods and spotting during your cycle.
• Changing needs: Depending on where we’re at in life, our need for birth control changes. Some may want to switch from a hormonal to a non-hormonal method for a while before starting to plan a pregnancy. Others may find that they prefer a long-acting method that they can use for years without changing it, like an IUD, instead of shorter-acting options like the pill or patch.
• Health conditions: If you have certain health conditions, it may dictate what’s available to you. For example, if you have a certain type of migraine, high blood pressure, or a higher risk of developing blood clots, it’s recommended that you don’t take any contraceptives containing estrogen. Others may be prescribed hormonal birth control to help manage health conditions like endometriosis.

How to safely switch birth control methods

It’s possible to get pregnant if you take a break between two birth control methods, so if you decide you want to try a new form of contraception, it’s important that you do the switch properly to ensure you’re still preventing pregnancy. In some cases, you may need to have some overlap between the two methods during the switch, and at other times, you may need to use additional protection (like a condom) during the first week. 

We’ll go into details on how you can go about switching methods below, but make sure you also talk it through with your healthcare provider so you’re prepared and know what to do when the time comes. [1]

Remember, too, that condoms are the only contraception that protects against sexually transmitted infections, so, depending on your circumstances, you may still want to consider this barrier method during the transition period and beyond.

Can I switch birth control methods right away?

This depends. Some methods require an overlap as you transition between your old method and the new one, while with other methods you can switch straight away. Let’s take a look at how it works with some different types of birth control, and what transitioning to a new method looks like.

What methods require an overlap with my old birth control?

When switching between different kinds of hormonal birth control methods, like the patch, ring, or implant, you often need a bit of overlap with your next method to ensure you’re still protected during the transition. This means that you’ll use both methods at the same time for a short while. 

How long this overlap needs to be depends on both the method you’re starting and which one you’re switching from, but usually, we’re talking about somewhere between a couple of days and a week.

At this point, you may be wondering why you’ll need to overlap two methods even though both contain hormones. Each method contains its own dosage and composition of hormones, but it typically takes a few days for the hormone levels in the new method to build up, so you won’t be fully protected right away. The overlap with your old method ensures you’re still protected until your new method takes full effect.

To time the switch properly, you also need to consider how long your current birth control method lasts so you can start your new method before the old one stops working. For example, methods like the hormonal IUD or birth control implant last for several years and require a doctor's visit to insert, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead to avoid gaps between methods.

Regardless of which method you’re switching to (or from), make sure you check with your doctor what applies to your situation so you can transition to your new birth control safely!

What birth control methods can I switch to right away?

There are also a couple of situations where you can switch birth control right away, without any overlap between the methods. This mainly applies when switching to the copper IUD, which is a long-acting birth control method that’s inserted into the uterus.

Once in place, the copper IUD starts working immediately (that’s why it can also be used as an emergency contraceptive). For this reason, when switching to a copper IUD from another method, you usually don’t need any overlap. However, since you need to schedule an appointment to have the IUD inserted, it’s good to speak with your doctor beforehand so that you can time it with stopping your previous method.

Another birth control switch that doesn’t require any overlap is when you transition from one birth control pill to another (since it’s usually not recommended to take two pills at the same time). It’s best not to take a break in between, but you usually don’t need to finish your old pill pack or take the sugar pills. You can simply start taking the first pill in your new pack the day after any active pill in the old one. 

However, you should still check with your doctor if you need to use any additional protection (like a condom) in the beginning when switching pills, or if you’re protected right away. This may differ depending on whether you’re switching between two combination pills, two mini pills, from the combination to the mini pill, or vice versa.

Should I use a backup method when switching birth control?

A backup method refers to any additional protection — most often barrier protection like a condom or diaphragm — that you can use while you wait for your new birth control method to take full effect. When you’re planning your birth control switch with your doctor, make sure to check if they recommend you use a backup method and for how long it’s needed.

Backup protection is needed in cases where you’re not able to have any overlap between methods. For example, if you switch from a copper IUD to a hormonal one, the hormonal IUD can only be inserted after the copper IUD is taken out, so it’s not possible to have the two overlap while the hormonal IUD takes effect.

Additionally, if you do end up taking a break between methods while switching birth control, it’s important you either abstain from sex or use another form of birth control, like condoms, to prevent pregnancy until you’re fully protected by your new method.

What to expect when switching hormonal birth control methods

Now that we’ve covered how you can go about switching birth control methods, let’s talk about some of the options you have to choose from. When it comes to hormonal contraception, there are a few things to consider when you select which method will work best for you, for example, which type of hormones each one contains and how long each method lasts.

Switching to combined birth control: the pill, patch, and ring

Combined birth control gets its name from the fact that methods in this category contain a combination of two hormones: synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone. These hormones work together to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, making your cervical mucus thicker so that it’s harder for sperm to survive, and making the lining of the uterus thinner to prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. 

Before switching to any of these methods, it’s best to speak with your doctor to plan out how you’ll transition from your previous birth control. You may need to overlap with your previous method or use backup protection in the beginning. Once you have your prescription and you’re ready to get started with your new method, here’s what you can expect:

• Combination birth control pill: You’ll need to take your pills daily and at the same time each day for this method to be effective. Many pill packets contain three weeks of active pill (containing hormones) and one week of sugar pills, where you may experience a bleed known as withdrawal bleeding.
• Birth control patch: The birth control patch looks similar to a bandaid, and you wear it on your skin where it releases a dose of hormones. You’ll need to change your patch once a week, and it’s important to always change it on the same day. Similar to the pill, it’s common to wear the patch for three weeks followed by a patch-free week where you may have a withdrawal bleed.
• Birth control ring: Often called the NuvaRing (a common brand), the birth control ring is a silicon ring that’s worn inside the vagina. Most rings are worn for three weeks (21 days) at a time followed by a week’s break before you switch to a new ring.

Switching to progestin-only birth control: the mini pill, injection, implant, and IUD

Some hormonal birth control methods only contain synthetic progesterone, called progestin, and these can be a good option for those who can’t use birth control that contains estrogen. The mini pill, birth control injection, hormonal IUD, and birth control implant are all types of progestin-only methods. Similar to combined birth control, progestin-only methods generally work by thickening cervical mucus and thinning the lining of the uterus. They often also stop ovulation, but some people do still ovulate while using certain progestin-only methods, like the mini pill.

If you’re looking to switch to a progestin-only method, talk to your doctor beforehand and make a plan for how to switch safely from the method you’re using now, either by overlappning methods or by using backup protection like a condom. It’s also good to keep in mind that the injection, IUD, and implant all need to be given or inserted by a healthcare professional, so you’ll need to schedule an appointment ahead of time.

• Mini pill: The mini pill needs to be taken every day at the same time. In contrast with combination pills, most mini pill packets don’t contain any sugar pills, so you don’t take any breaks from active pills. This means that you may not get any bleeding while on the mini pill, although some people still experience spotting or irregular bleeds.
• Birth control injection: The injection (or birth control shot) is administered by a healthcare professional, and you’ll get the injection in your arm, thigh, buttocks, or tummy. It can last up to 13 weeks before you’ll need another shot, depending on the brand. It’s common to have some irregular bleeding for the first year, but it will usually stop after than time. [2]
• Birth control implant: The implant is a small plastic rod that’s inserted in your upper arm, where is releases hormones. It can often last up to five years (depending on the brand), and you’ll usually not feel it once it’s in place. Similar to the injection, it’s common to have irregular bleeding during the first year. [3]
• Hormonal IUD: Another long-active option, the hormonal IUD is a small T-shaped piece of plastic that’s inserted into your uterus, where it releases a small and steady dose of hormones. Depending on the brand, the IUD can last between 3-8 years. Spotting or irregular bleeds are common in the beginning, but they usually subside with time. [3]

Potential side effects to be aware of

Different hormonal contraceptives come with different side effects. For example, if you experience side effects on birth control pills containing estrogen, you might be prescribed mini pills or progestin-only pills, as these contain only synthetic progesterone. Whichever one you choose, it’s common to experience irregular bleeding. You may also notice:

• Breast tenderness
• Acne
• Loss of your period
• Low sex drive
• Low mood
• Headache
• Weight gain
• Different levels of vaginal discharge
• Irregular bleeding or spotting

These side effects should even out within a few months as your body adjusts to the different hormones. [4] However, you should speak to a healthcare professional if you have any concerns. 

Switching to Natural Cycles

Depending on your current birth control method, you’ll either be able to get started with Natural Cycles straight away, or you might need to wait a little bit until you can start. [5]

• If you’re currently using non-hormonal contraception such as condoms or fertility awareness, you can get started with Natural Cycles straight away. 
• If you are using pills, we recommend you finish all the active pills in the packet, and then get started with Natural Cycles the day after you've finished all active pills. 
• If you have a hormonal IUD or an implant, you can start using Natural Cycles the day after it has been removed. The same goes for the birth control patch and the NuvaRing (vaginal ring). 
• For the contraceptive injection, you should use Natural Cycles once the effect of the injection has worn off (8-13 weeks, depending on the type of birth control shot). 
• If you have a copper IUD, you can use this in tandem with Natural Cycles since it doesn’t contain hormones, but you may also choose to have it removed if you want to use Natural Cycles as your primary form of birth control. 

Going hormone-free with Natural Cycles

We hope you’ve learned something about switching birth control methods! At Natural Cycles, we believe in choice and want you to feel empowered to make informed decisions about your own reproductive health. Natural Cycles uses body temperature, paired with an algorithm that learns and predicts your fertile window, allowing you to prevent pregnancy without synthetic hormones. If you’re considering switching birth control, why not find out if Natural Cycles could be a suitable option for you?